September 14, 2020

Volume 102, Issue 2

September 14, 2020

West Haven, Conn.

THE

CHARGER BULLETIN

The student news source of the University of New Haven.

BUILDING BRIDGES AT UNH

Lorenzo Boyd talks diversity, inclusion, and progress at the university Story on pg. 4

Photo Courtesy of Hunter Lang, Photography Editor

The Charger Bulletin

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September 14, 2020

BU L L E T I N B OA R D

Bulletin Briefs

The

Charger Bulletin

Page 3

300 Boston Post Road | West Haven, CT 06516

COVID-19 dashboard updates

Page 4 Interview with Lorenzo Boyd

Page 5 Entertainment professionals speak out

Page 8

Women’s soccer preview

ChargerBulletin@newhaven.edu | www.ChargerBulletin.com office: 203.932.7182 Our office is located on the second floor of 46 Ruden Street, Room 202.

Editor-in-Chief Kayla Mutchler Managing Editor Amanda M. Castro Student Life Editor Beth Beaudry Sports Editor Joe Klaus Entertainment Editor Tiara Starks Opinion Editor Kristen Marcus Staff Writers Earl Alexander Givan and Cameron Hailey Multimedia Editor Jada Clarke Associate Editor for Photography Hunter Lang Associate Editor for Graphic Design Christopher Colquhoun Advertising Manager Hannah Providence Associate Editor for Videography Nick Meaney Community Engagement Editor Victoria Cagley To view previous issues, go to issuu.com/chargerbulletin

Page 10 A farewell to Juan Hernandez

Page 13

Humor during a pandemic

Page 2

The Charger Bulletin staff strives for excellence and accuracy in writing and reporting. We recognize that mistakes may occur and encourage readers to notify the Bulletin if they feel a correction is necessary. Please email the Editor-in-Chief at chargerbulletin@newhaven.edu.

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Since 1938, The Charger Bulletin has been the official student news source of the University of New Haven.

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Letters can be sent via email to ChargerBulletin@newhaven.edu and must contain the writer’s name and contact information for verification purposes. The opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are of the authors themselves and not The Charger Bulletin.

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September 14, 2020

NEWS

Page 3

COVID-19 Dashboard updates

BY BETH BEAUDRY STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

W

ith the uncertainty of this fall semester, the university is keeping a public record of COVID-19 cases on campus.

The COVID Dashboard shows how many residential students were tested and how many positive cases there were. It also shows cumulative data on the percentage of COVID positive students, off-campus, commuter students, faculty, and the number of those in quarantine or isolation.

This dashboard reported that

Graphic courtesy of University of New Haven website

during the first week of the semester, Aug. 17-23, there were more than 2,000 tests taken, resulting in only one positive test among a commuter student.

On Aug. 28, Ophelie Rowe-Allen, dean of students, sent an email to inform students of the one positive case and direct them to the dashboard.

Rowe-Allen said, “We will not be immune to having positive cases on campus; however, you can take steps to avoid a large outbreak.”

“The low number of positive cases truly is a testament to your commitment to following the comprehensive public health measures that are in place to keep us safe,” she said. “Let’s keep up the great work.”

On Sept. 2, students noticed that the dashboard only showed the numbers for the first week of classes. Under the impression that it would be updated weekly, students took to their class

Facebook pages to ask when the most recent statistics would be posted.

Later that day, Charlie the Charger posted to the Class of 2021 page with a link to the updated dashboard, which showed COVID statistics on campus as of Aug. 30. As of that date, the cumulative statistics showed that two commuter students tested positive and that 30 students were in quarantine, either on or off-campus.

Dean of the School of Health and Sciences and University COVID-19 coordinator Summer McGee said, “Quarantine numbers have increased because some students off-campus and on-campus have had exposures to COVID+ individuals not living on our campus such as going home on the weekend to see a friend or a family member.”

Some students are still concerned about the state of posi-

tive cases on campus, especially with recent rumors that members of the football team have tested positive.

On Sept. 2, the COVID-19 task force responded to this rumor with, “There were no confirmed cases on-campus or off-campus last week.”

Going forward, Charlie said, “The dashboard now shows the most recent week's data, as well as cumulative data. The data is reported to the state on Monday, and, going forward, we will update the dashboard by Tuesday morning.”

If students have questions or concerns, they can email the COVID-19 task force at COVIDTaskForce@newhaven. edu or visit the university’s COVID-19 page.

As we transition to Canvas

BY GINA BEATTIE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

W

ith the start of the new semester, the University of New Haven has implemented a new learning management system (LMS), Canvas. This system has replaced Blackboard, the previously utilized system.

With Canvas, students are able to see their grades, emails and messages from professors, have easy access to class Zoom links, and be able to see what group they are in for on-ground classes. Students and professors also have access to another feature -- studio -- which allows

you to create and add videos.

Canvas allows professors to fully teach online with its ability to collect assignments and administer tests. Canvas also provides app compatibility to allow students to stay connected to their classes at any time and in any location.

Discussions, another feature in Canvas, allows students to communicate with their classmates about topics related to what they are learning.

The to-do list is another helpful aspect of Canvas that allows students to see all upcoming assignments and their due dates.

“I do like canvas and how it’s set up, it makes everything organized and accessible,” said Idalyz Bordoy, a freshman clinical psychology major.

“Especially zoom classes, links,

weekly lesson plans, and such.”

With the change to Canvas, everyone, including professors, is learning how to navigate it and use it to its fullest potential.

There are tutorials on the basic navigation of the site, as well as support provided by the campus card office.

Once everyone becomes more accustomed to the system it can potentially provide the same education as on campus.

“I am not sure if it will be exactly like the in-person education experience,” Lígia Correia, an adjunct professor said, “but so far, it’s very close and I hope that once all the professors are fully trained, and learn all its capabilities, it will be equivalent.”

When compared to its pre-

decessor, Blackboard, Canvas has both its similarities and advancements. It presents more variety of tools and is more clear to some, while to others, the two systems have similar aspects.

“Canvas offers several additional tools and a clearer interface than Blackboard,” said Madalenna Lolaico, a university Italian professor “For example, an additional tool is Studio, the video system incorporated into Canvas. That is a great tool, in particular in my language classes.”

Susanne Murphy, a commu-

nication, film and media studies professor likes some of the aspects of Canvas but thinks that the two are very similar.

“Canvas and Blackboard for me are roughly equivalent tools.

I like some of the capabilities of Canvas better than Blackboard: it’s easier to integrate media, for instance.”

Although Blackboard is no longer being used mainstream for classes, the software will still be available for access and student organizations will continue to utilize it for the fall semester.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

September 14, 2020

NEWS

Page 4

Lorenzo Boyd -- who he is and where he wants to take the university

BY KAYLA MUTCHLER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A

mid the Black Lives Matter movement, Steven Kaplan, UNH president, announced the school had hired Lorenzo Boyd as vice president for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer. Some students disapproved, and some are beginning to change their opinions. Boyd says he’s hopeful that during his time at the university, he can build bridges.

Boyd grew up in Boston, attended the University of Massachusetts for his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and attended Photo courtesy of Hunter Lang

Northeastern University for his doctorate.

As a classically trained sociologist, Boyd looks at relationships and interactions between people. He spent 14 and a half years at the sheriff’s department in Boston. When he left in 2001, he became a university professor and began researching policing — specifically urban policing — and the relationship between the police and communities of color and other underrepresented communities.

Boyd still trains police officers, specifically with community policing, police in fragile communities, and building bridges between the police and community.

After his work at other universities, in 2019 Boyd was hired at the university to work as a crim-

inal justice professor and in the Center for Advanced Policing.

“The job description…is pretty fluid because it came about based on a history of problems between or among student groups, particularly underrepresented students,” said Boyd.

Boyd said that his job is to build an inclusive atmosphere at the university. He also oversees inclusion with all faculty and staff.

“I try to identify barriers that are going to stop Chargers from being great, and I try to help eliminate those,” said Boyd.

“Hopefully, if I’m good, I can eliminate the barriers before people come up against them.”

There has been a history of problems at the university, so now Boyd is trying to find groups that have faced problems in the past, talk to them, and figure out how to fix the problems for the future.

Boyd said that some student groups tell him that he should know their problems without having to tell him.

“To me, that’s not fair; that’s not realistic. I don’t know what everybody’s problem is, and I can’t assume that one particular group has any problem in particular, because people are different, interactions are different,” he said.“So, I want to find out what the issues are, and as soon as I find out the issues, I try to put resources into it to fix these issues.”

Boyd said he believes he is a great fit for the position.

“Ultimately, it’s about fixing problems, building bridges, and making things easier for people—and for the last 20 years, that’s what I’ve been doing,” he said.

“It’s not realistic to think that my job is just a university job, because we don’t exist just as

a university — we’re part of a bigger picture,” said Boyd.

Boyd says he hopes to accomplish a lot with students and staff members, specifically with awareness, and that a lot of employees and students don’t understand the issues other people are facing.

“Before we can move forward, we have to understand the pain that people are facing,” said Boyd. “We have to understand the obstacles that they are facing.”

Boyd is also trying to build a three-year plan at the university.

It would start with fixing some of the current problems at the university, such as the amount of gender-inclusive bathrooms on campus and racial tensions, among others.

Boyd also said he wants to fix a lot of the issues in the classroom. This begins with a diversity, equity, and inclusion audit programs that they will first try in the school of health sciences such as in syllabi, curriculum, class offerings, and others to make sure it’s as inclusive as it can be.

Boyd also said his position is more than a race position — it’s about finding barriers in any area and getting rid of it.

“I look for hurdles that stop chargers from being great,” he said.

There are a lot of plans in the works. Currently, the Henry C. Lee college is debuting the Uncommon Course, which are multiple classes under the UNIV 1141 section. Boyd said that this course is taught by professors from multiple schools in the university, not just Lee, in hopes that there will be multiple viewpoints on the same issues.

Boyd also has plans to create a diversity training badge system.

“After ‘x’ number of diversity

or social events, you’ll get a badge, and these are things that we can put on a transcript,” he said.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, Boyd said that program is on hold. Boyd said he hopes to start with online micro-trainings in the meantime.

The university is also working on minority hiring in faculty and staff. This includes people of color, but also people of different genders, religions, ages, and more, he said.

Other plans include rewriting the Transgender Faculty and Staff Guide (created with SPECTRA, PRIDE, the dean of students office, and the Myatt Center for Diversity and Inclusion), working with student groups to search for a new head of the Myatt Center, introducing himself to student groups and asking for their ideas, and building affinity groups for faculty and staff.

“Our main objective is to help empower students,” said Boyd, “so whether you’re in the classroom, or in an office, or driving a bus, our job should be supporting students.”

Boyd said he recognizes that some students are still wary.

He hopes that he can improve relations with them.

“My hope is that I’m going to be judged on the work that I’ve done or the changes that people see,” he said.

Boyd said it’s unrealistic to think he will be the one person who fixes everything. He also said that he recognizes that not everybody will approve of that and said he respected it. “[My job] is to support people in what they do,” said Boyd. “I don’t do their jobs, but I give them support and resources to make sure their jobs are more inclusive.”

September 14, 2020

E N T E RTA I N M E N T

Page 5

Entertainment industry members with disabilities speak out for representation

BY TIARA STARKS ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

I

n the entertainment industry, characters, along with supporting plot lines having to do with disabilities, have been few and far between.

While shows such as “Switched at Birth,” “Glee,” “Breaking Bad,” “Atypical,” “Red Band Society,” and “The Good Doctor” all have characters central to the storylines of these types of programming, the jarring reality is that only two shows on this list are currently airing.

According to the LGBTQ media advocacy organization GLAAD’s evaluation of the 2019-20 TV season, just 3.1% of characters had a disability -- the highest percentage of representation in the past ten years.

While it comes as no surprise that media containing able-bodied actors have always dominated the entertainment industry, the statistic proves how low the ratio is for disabled representation in media in comparison to its reality.

At least one in four American adults are living with a disability. Not to mention, the term “intersectionality” has become ingrained in the language of how Hollywood executives look for representation so even more viewers are beginning to take notice of an actor’s disability status. This can also cut into other acknowledgments of diversity in addition to race, ethnicity and LGBTQ+ identities.

Former communication student from the Class of 2023, Maria Maisonet, spoke candidly

about their views on disabled representation in current media.

“The raw truth is that the industry treats us like sprinkles on a sundae as a way to show that they are ‘progressive and inclusive and for the few disabled roles in media, Hollywood still casts able-bodied actors to masquerade as a disabled person,” said Maisonet. “That’d be like taking a white actor and casting them as a BI-POC character and calling it diversity and inclusion.”

“Ultimately,” said Maisonet, “the industry needs to know that disabled people don’t exist to supplement able-bodied lives; we exist to have our own intricate, unique, compelling life experiences. Frankly, we don’t want to have to make others feel okay with our existence onscreen or off. We want to simply ‘be.’”

Even in current times where families and individuals are battling through hardships relating to COVID-19, it’s affected the disabled community even harder. Last week, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the “Actor’s Fund”, which provides affordable housing to low-income entertainment workers, told its special needs residents that they will have to let construction workers into their apartments during the COVID-19 pandemic or be evicted, targeting 50 special needs residents who occupy a 40-unit building geared towards independent living for low-income, permanently disabled entertainment professionals.

"I'm very concerned about going through this process especially with this virus looming out there. It just seems ludicrous that no one can understand why this is such a concern with us," said Seth Engber, 63, who is

living with HIV/AIDS and heart disease.

There’s still hope for the future. A non-profit organization called RespectAbility strives to continuously offer resources for disabled and mentally-impaired media professionals who wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to them. They’ve partnered with major media companies such as NBC, Walt Disney, and Netflix to aid in implementing hiring initiatives for crew members and on-camera talent and also offer services for hearing and vision-impaired professionals by providing audio-descriptive and closed captioning services as well as sign-language interpreters.

Nevertheless, organizations such as RespectAbility can only go so far, in times where diversity and inclusion initiatives are being regularly emphasized in other aspects of life. It’s imperative that the entertainment industry listens to the voices that want to create and maintain space, have their untold stories and experiences come to life, and be shared with audiences globally to fight stigmas and break glass ceilings.

Photos courtesy of Creative Commons

September 14, 2020

E N T E RTA I N M E N T

“Tenet” review

BY EARL ALEXANDER GIVAN

STAFF WRITER

A

s a director, Christopher Nolan has such high merit that he is able to create films that would usually be geared towards niche audiences and bring them to the masses. Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” Trilogy is an important part of what allowed comic book movies to succeed in the mainstream, and “Inception” managed to reinvent the heist sub-genre with a Sci-Fi twist. In his new epic, “Tenet,” Nolan attempts to tackle the time travel genre, and does so in the way that you would expect him to.

Tenet tells the story of a CIA Photo courtesy of Tenet Twitter

agent, played by John David Washington, who is tasked with stopping World War III The unfortunate catch, though, is that the threat is not from the present, but the future and he will have to manipulate time -- both forward and backward to achieve his end goal.

Similar to his work with films like “Inception” and “Interstellar,” Nolan creates his own rules for what is and isn’t allowed within this fictitious universe.

Rather than time travel being an idea, time travel in “Tenet” is a living, breathing force. Traveling forward is impossible, but it is possible to travel backward through time when you become “inverted.” Inversion in “Tenet” is a process where a person or object travels through time in reverse meaning that everything for them is moving in reverse,

but to a person who is still moving forward, the inverted person or object appears to be moving in reverse.

Someone can be shot by an inverted bullet returning to a gun, and inverted explosions cause buildings to reassemble. Every moment is paradoxical with no answer to what is the beginning or end, causing the idea of time travel in this world to appear uncontrollable and uncertain.

The concept is incredible, but the one drawback is that it can easily become a headache if you were to miss certain details.

When this fictional logic is first explained within the film’s early minutes, it feels unnecessarily confusing and obtuse.

However, as the film continues these rules begin to feel natural and the viewer might be able to predict what will come next. Once the concept clicks, watching the simultaneous flow of time, both forwards and inverted, brings the type of visual satisfaction that Nolan has built a reputation for.

John David Washington allows himself to shine as the film’s protagonist, often cocky, confident and never afraid to crack a joke, but also with a grave willingness to carry out what he believes needs to be done, even if it does not coincide with his task. Robert Pattinson also makes an enjoyable appearance as Niel, who plays aid to the protagonist, but displays a secretive and murky nature that brings into question whether he is friend or foe.

Nolan’s Tenet is a sophisticated action film that makes its own rules and plays by them as aggressively as possible. It sets fire to the time travel sub-genre in order to rebuild it in its own image. It contains many of the usual time travel tropes, but because of the universe’s bizarre rules, the viewer is not likely to see it coming until it hits them, much like one of the film’s inverted bullets.

Page 6

VMAs Rewind

BY SHAYLEN STANCIL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Follow the Charger Bulletin on Spotify!

T

he annual MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) are an anticipated event for artists to put together show-stopping performances for their newly released music. This playlist is a throwback to the 2000s, with some of the best VMA performances from this decade.

2000 - “The Real Slim Shady” by Eminem In this performance, Eminem rapped with hundreds of men all dressed exactly like him. This song won VMA’s for “Video of the Year” and “Best Male Video.”

2001 - “I’m A Slave 4 U” by Britney Spears Britney Spears gave this performance a permanent spot in music history when she performed with a python wrapped around her neck.

2002 - “Like I Love You” by Justin Timberlake (ft. Clipse) Justin Timberlake’s Michael Jackson-inspired performance of “Like I Love You” was his solo debut single after the separation of pop boy band NSYNC. 2003 - “Crazy In Love” by Beyonce (ft Jay Z) Even in the 2000s, Beyonce and Jay Z were a power couple -- their performance was hard-hitting, soulful performance of “Crazy In Love.” She won the awards for “Best Female Video,” “Best R&B Video,” and “Best Choreography.”

2004 - “Hey Ya” by OutKast “Hey Ya” is that funky tune that never gets old regardless of how many years go by. The music video won four VMAs in one year!

2005 - “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson “Since U Been Gone” is one of those iconic songs that everyone sings along to in the car. Clarkson was singing and jumping around with the crowd and everyone was living in the moment.

2006 - “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At The Disco Panic! At The Disco had the crowd pumped with their guitar-heavy performance of “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” This was their first music video, which ended up winning “Video of the Year.”

2007 - “Wall to Wall” by Chris Brown Starting off as an ode to Charlie Chaplin, and turning into intricate streetstyle choreography, Chris Brown snagged everyone’s attention with his performance of “Wall to Wall.”

2008 - “Lovebug” by The Jonas Brothers Although The Jonas Brothers’ performance of their rock ballad “Lovebug” took place on the Back Lot and not the Main Stage, they still stole the show.

2009 - Michael Jackson Tribute Performance by Janet Jackson The unexpected death of Michael Jackson in June 2009 was difficult for the entire music industry. His sister, Janet Jackson, did the honor of giving him a tribute performance, including his greatest hits, “Thriller,” “Bad” and “Smooth Criminal,” and ended with their duet, “Scream.”

September 14, 2020

E N T E RTA I N M E N T

Page 7

Selena Gomez branches out from music

BY SHAYLEN STANCIL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

T

hroughout the global pandemic, singer and actress Selena Gomez has continued to stay busy throughout several months of quarantining. Her newest projects are not related to singing or acting, allowing her to branch out into new territory and expand her brand.

On Sept. 3, Selena released her own makeup line with Sephora called “Rare Beauty.”

According to the official Rare Beauty website Gomez said that “Rare Beauty is about breaking down unrealistic standards of perfection...it can be more than a beauty brand.”

Gomez hopes that with her products, people will feel less

alone in their struggles with self esteem issues and other personal insecurities. On the brand website, she promotes the ideas of self acceptance and that being “rare” simply means being yourself.

Products in the Rare Beauty line include concealers, highlighters, brushes, powders, lip products and 48 foundation shades.

Along with her makeup line, she launched the “Rare Impact Fund” with a goal of raising $100 million to provide and fund mental health services and resources in communities that are lacking.

In an interview with Refinery 29, Gomez said, “I want people to feel like they have a community to turn to and resources that are helpful to them.”

Gomez has been open about her struggles with mental health and now she desires to help

people that are struggling and remind them that they are never alone in their battles.

Gomez has also made the most of her time in quarantine by starting a cooking show, “Selena + Chef.” In the series, Gomez is taught how to cook by various professional chefs including Tanya Holland and Angelo Sosa.

“Selena + Chef” was filmed over video chat during quarantine. Each guest on the show also had the opportunity to talk about a food related charity of their choice and then would donates $10,000s to that charity.

Season 1 of “Selena + Chef” is available to stream on HBO Max with a subscription. The first episode is free for anyone to enjoy.

In Aug., Gomez announced that she was the executive producer of the newly released movie “This Is The Year.” On

Aug. 28, there was a virtual premiere hosted by TikTok stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio.

Longtime fans also got to experience a blast from the past when she revealed that former “Wizards of Waverly Place” co-star David Henrie was the movie’s director. According to IMDb, in “a last ditch effort to win over the girl of his dreams,

a nerdy high school senior and his best friends embark on a road trip to see their favorite band at the biggest music festival of the year.”

Currently, the movie is not available to be streamed online and it is uncertain whether it will be released to the public again in the near future.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

X-Men series runs out of steam with “New Mutants”

BY EARL ALEXANDER GIVAN

STAFF WRITER

“N

ew Mutants,” the most recent film to release within 20th Century Fox’s “X-Men” series, has had a troublesome path to its release.

The film was originally announced in 2015 but did not begin filming until 2017.

Although finished in time for the original April 2018 release date, the film was delayed for another two years, believed to be based on changes within the 20th Century Fox, and Disney merger, as well as not wanting to release within a similar time frame as other X-Men franchise offerings, like “Deadpool 2” and “Dark Phoenix.” It is important that this series of events is known, because the history of

this film’s journey to release ties directly to how poorly done and mismanaged “New Mutants” is.

The film centers around Blu Hunt’s character, Dani, a teenage girl that is troubled by strange occurrences that are sporadically happening to her and those around her. Her inability to control these events leads to her being placed into the care of a special psychiatric hospital with teenage mutants who An X-Men symbol Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

cannot contain their abilities.

Her arrival causes other patients to believe that things in the hospital are not what they seem, prompting the teens to seek a way to escape.

The plot does not lend an ear to originality. It is hard to not name a single movie that takes place in a prison or hospital-type setting where the protagonists are not trying to escape their treacherous caretakers. This would have been okay, as the idea of X-Men mutants being thrown into this somewhat predictable plot would have had the same effect of spice to a bland dish.

However, “New Mutants” fails to represent how this outing relates to the rest of the X-Men universe beyond the walls of the hospital, and, unfortunately, the one attempt that is made comes off as more of a cameo to an event in an earlier

movie than a solid inspiration for our characters’ sudden need to escape. The plot also leaves multiple loose ends untied within its closing moments, leading to the film feeling unfinished and sloppily assembled.

In terms of theming and ambiance, the movie doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be. The movie attempted to have some horror elements, but the scares are very low caliber. It is as if it was made from the perspective of someone who either doesn’t watch horror movies or didn’t truly want to scare their audience.

A similar faintness of identity can be seen in the dialogue.

Each member of the cast is written like a two-dimensional stereotype of a certain classification of teenager. It wouldn’t be nearly as disappointing if we haven’t been used to seeing some of the casted actors

personify teenagers perfectly in other films or movies. A solid example is Charlie Heaton, whose performance as Sam Gurthrite in the film comes nowhere close to his performances in seasons of the Netflix staple “Stranger Things.”

Overall, the film drastically underperforms in comparison to the other “X-Men” films that came before, and it is depressing that a film that was about five years in the making fell this far short of expectations. Taking into account the comparably disappointing entry that came before this, “Dark Phoenix,” 20th Century Fox seems to have emptied the gas tank of “X-Men,” and perhaps it’s time to bid the franchise goodbye.

September 14, 2020

S P O RT S

Page 8

Boycotts for Blake

BY TYLER WELLS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

F

or athletes across professional sports, the shooting of Jacob Blake was the final straw in a mounting struggle with police brutality. Although games were scheduled to take place, they were replaced by a booming message on behalf of the players, who elected to boycott their games to shift the public eye on the issue of police brutality.

In a statement from the Milwaukee Bucks’ organization, the first team to announce their boycott, they explain that “despite the overwhelming plea for change, there has been no action, so our focus today

cannot be on basketball.”

Following the lead of the Bucks, who elected not to take the court against the Orlando Magic in their playoff game last Wednesday, players in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) decided that this issue was bigger than sports.

All three NBA playoff games scheduled for Aug. 26 were postponed, along with three MLB games, four playoff NHL games, and three WNBA games.

For the NBA, this boycott lasted until Aug. 29.

Going into each league’s season, much discourse was held among players regarding how to respond to the growing movements against police brutality throughout the country. This

was most evident in the WNBA and NBA, where players such as the Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown and the Brooklyn Nets’ Kyrie Irving had been critical of the NBA’s lack of social action leading up to the restart of their season.

Some had spoken about not playing in the restart, wanting to instead stand with those advocating for a change.

The NBA attempted to negotiate, and allow players to dawn whatever social justice message they wished on their jersey.

While the protests continued throughout the country, professional athletes competed while they took part however they decided, most notably through kneeling for the National Anthem.

The shooting of Jacob Blake on Aug. 23 pushed the athletes’ protests even further, as anger

continued to build among Black Americans.

The police were responding to a domestic incident call in the late afternoon, arriving on scene to two women fighting with Blake attempting to break the fight up. From here, officers attempted to take Blake into custody, deploying their tasers and getting physical with Blake who, according to the officers, grappled back with them. As he was trying to enter his car, the officer shot at Blake’s back

seven times.

There are conflicting reports about the details of Blake having a knife at the scene.

On Twitter, NBA star LeBron James explained; “WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT.” In an effort to make a change, the NBA and owners have worked to open each arena as a polling center for the Nov. 3 elections.

Blake’s sister speaks at a protest Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Women’s soccer preview

BY NEVA BOSTIC CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“L

ive in the moment… Be in the moment,” is a message from senior captain of the women’s soccer team, Jordan Nichols. Even with a season anticipated for a playoff run pushed back to the spring, and a global pandemic that separates Photo courtesy of Charger Athletics

a brand new team, New Haven Women’s Soccer is not letting their circumstances get the best of them. They are not taking the opportunities they have been given for granted, though they may be few and far between.

With a long road to “normal” still ahead, plans to see this team come out of this situation better than ever.

From the 2018 to the 2019 seasons, this team has moved up from 15th to 12th in the NE10 Conference Rankings. With

wins on the rise, this upcoming spring season is anticipated to be one of their best in recent years by four senior leaders of the team.

Senior Gabriella Chavez described last season as a “stepping stone” from the previous year, “We went from losing to being more congealed as a team,” said Chavez.

Senior captain, Samantha Roth, described that the team’s attitude in some games last season sparked her realization of a new team.

“Everyone worked as hard as they could, literally to their last breath,” she said, “I was really hoping that was something that we could continue this fall.”

Fans should be ready to see new faces, as 19 freshmen have been added to this year’s roster.

“I think the freshmen are going to be a vital part in how the season is going to go, there’s a lot more talent,” said Roth in

regard to the new team.

An addition of this magnitude can be tough, but they made it work through weekly team zoom calls. With the season being pushed back, there is more time for players to work on themselves and their skills in order to come back this spring.

“One of my main goals for this season is to honestly have fun,” said Natalia Roberts, a senior veteran of the team, “it's so bittersweet, I've been playing soccer since I was like… Since I could walk so, to know that I'm going to be transitioning into adulthood and that I’m not always going to have this, it’s very sad but I’m just trying to make the most of everything.”

“Taking things day by day is a big thing for us because we never know what's gonna happen,” said Chavez.

Although things are certainly different because of the current circumstances, the team thinks

that they should remain positive.

While it is easy to focus on the negatives, this team is looking forward to their potential season and making the most of it.

Make sure to follow the action this year at @unewhavenwsoc on Instagram and @UNewHavenWSOC on Twitter.

Photo courtesy of UNH Women’s Soccer’s Instagram

September 14, 2020

POLITICS

Page 9

Facebook and Twitter remove political misinformation accounts

BY AMANDA M. CASTRO MANAGING EDITOR

O

n Sept. 1, Facebook and Twitter announced the removal of accounts that were

connected to Russian spyware, for spreading false news about racial justice and President Donald Trump's policies.

According to the New York Times, this is the same Russian party that previously intervened in the 2016 presidential election.

The Russian-supported group's disinformation program,

Graphic courtesy of Christopher Colquhoun

known as the Internet Research Agency (IRA), is the first confirmation that the organization has been attempting to drive voters away from the Democratic presidential and vice-presidential nominees, Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris, in order to back Trump’s campaign for re-election.

According to Facebook, the Russian operatives used a website for their fake news organization known as ‘PeaceData.’

The operatives used realistic-looking, yet computer-generated images of people, to pose as the faces behind the accounts.

This information comes according to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The removal emerged as a re-

sult of an FBI tip and was one of a dozen operations linked to the IRA, or individuals associated with it, that Facebook has taken down since the last presidential election when millions of views on the site were gathered from IRA-backed pages.

Facebook said it removed 13 accounts related to the IRA and two pages, which according to the New York Times, were meant to “target public debate in the US.” Twitter said that they suspended five accounts before they gained a larger following and they will continue to remove any content connected to the PeaceData website, according to NPR. Researchers said that this

incident resembles the Russian misinformation campaigns that aimed to minimize support for Sen. Hillary Clinton's liberal and minority support in 2016.

“They're anti-democratic,” Twitter said in a statement, according to the New York Times.

“Attempts to manipulate our service to undermine democracy – by both foreign and domestic actors – will be met with strict enforcement of our policies.”

Twitter also said that the content generated by the accounts was “low quality and spammy, and most Tweets from these accounts received few, if any, Likes or Retweets.”

A look into Trump’s four years

BY CAMERON HAILEY STAFF WRITER

I

n a short, 16-minute inaugural speech, President Donald Trump delivered some of his key campaign talking points, keeping America first, and that there was no time for empty talk. But did Trump hold to his promises about ensuring action from politicians and himself?

Opinion In what was, to many, an underdog being elected as president, Trump’s campaign built itself on blue-collar workers and battleground states who had felt forgotten during the Obama Administration.

Trump promised things that made his voters think he had heard their fears. His promises of bringing back factory and industrial jobs, building a wall on the southern border, and redoing trade deals were all in America’s

interest.

The value of these promises is that they stuck with voters- although sticking with the administration is a different question.

Job creation continued to rise for three years after Trump’s election; but, they were not often manufacturing jobs as he said, rather logging and mining. Unfortunately, because of COVID-19, thousands of people in manufacturing jobs were laid off once more. Currently, a study from the Becker Friedman Institute of the University of Chicago, predicted only 42% of the jobs lost from COVID-19 will return.

Trump’s most vocal claim was to build a wall along the southern border with Mexico after he said they were not “sending their best.” By 2020, much of the border fencing was renovated and replaced. According to the Washington Post, over 1000 miles does not have walling, to this day.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) had been a target in congress for

many years since its introduction in 1994. With opposition from politicians on both sides of the political spectrum, the trade agreement allowed for free trade from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Politicians from the U.S. argued this might have led to U.S. jobs’ exportation to the other countries’ markets in the agreement.

Trump’s administration got a win when in 2020, after being ratified by the three countries involved, NAFTA was dissolved in favor of the new United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA).

The president's effectiveness rating varies greatly; research on partisanship in the U.S. government has shown that the country is politically divided more than ever before, and the past four years may have a reputation that carries it.

The country has seen a rise in political candidates who are more progressive and conservative. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won in her district in the midterm election with a progressive

campaign by a large margin.

Meanwhile, in Alabama, candidates like Roy Moore almost won a U.S. senate race, with a platform of conservative views and ties to confederacy groups.

On many occasions, during Trump's four years, the country required leadership from the president. Trump's claim of "very fine people on both sides," his reaction to the protests for George Floyd, and his decisions when it came to COVID-19 in the U.S. have given Democrats, such as presidential candidate Joseph Biden, reason to argue

that Trump is not fit to be the President for another term.

The difference of views in the U.S. became clear through the President, Republicans, and Democrats' words.

For reelection, Trump will have to convince his voters of how great life is now, and that life with the other candidate would be harmful. He will need to prove that he has been as effective as the president. For Democrats, the opposite is valid. They will need to prove that Trump, in their opinion, is not meant for the presidency.

President Donald Trump Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

September 14, 2020

STUDENT LIFE

Page 10

A farewell to Juan Hernandez

BY BETH BEAUDRY STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

O

n Sept. 4, the University of New Haven said farewell to a beloved member of the Charger community, Juan Hernandez, former director of the Myatt Center for Diversity and Inclusion, to take a position at Goucher College in Baltimore.

Hernandez started at the university in 2016. He aspired to educate, improve inclusion, and increase diversity training.

During his years, he set up year-long training schedules and hosted countless events to promote diversity and inclusion.

Hernandez brought in guest speakers, held movie nights, discussions, and week- or monthlong events, such as Inclusion Week, Hispanic Heritage Month and Black History Month.

Faculty and students took to social media to bid Hernandez goodbye and wish him luck in his next chapter, and some were reposted by the Myatt Center Instagram.

The Myatt Center

Photo courtesy of Hunter Lang

Hernandez responded to these posts with an Instagram comment that said, “I’ll always remember my four years here.

You all prepared me for this opportunity and for that, I owe you a huge thank you.”

Hernandez gave the Charger Bulletin his last message to students. He said: “My message to the students is a simple one.

Please take care of one another.

While we might not always agree on everything, please understand that each of you holds significant value in this community. Make it your mission to make this community better for everyone even if it doesn’t always specifically benefit you.

Care for each other. Fight for each other. And support each other.”

In June 2020, former assistant provost Lorenzo Boyd became the vice president for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer. On Hernandez’s departure, Boyd said, “Although Juan is leaving, I am extremely happy for his upward mobility in his new position, but I am sad to be losing a friend and colleague from Charger nation.”

Boyd said that until a permanent employee is found to be the

new director, an interim person will hold the position. He also said that he will be hiring a search committee consisting of faculty and students until they find someone suitable for the position.

“I want someone who can provide visionary leadership who will advocate for underrepresented students,” said Boyd. “I want someone who is passionate about student success, increasing an inclusive environment at UNH, and respects all aspects of diversity.”

“At the end of the day,” said Hernandez about what traits he thinks the new director should possess, “the Myatt Center and its professional staff, should always prioritize serving as advocates and allies for those pushed to the margins.”

On Sept. 7, OrganizeUNewHaven (OUNH) posted a statement to their Instagram about Hernandez leaving and their expectations of the hiring process. OUNH asks that the university includes “ALL multicultural student leaders, as well as any students and RSOs heavily involved with the Myatt Center business, in the search process.”

The statement also said, “Multicultural students are the ones in most contact with this position; therefore, it is extremely important that these voices are of high value in such a significant decision.”

As to the future of the Myatt Center and his role, Boyd said, “The Myatt Center will still work hand in hand with The Dean of Student’s office and CSELO. But being moved under the office of the VP for D&I gives it more resources and allows me to help with more projects. I look forward to helping support the Myatt Center in its crucial work of increasing education on issues of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”

Juan Hernandez

Photo courtesy of University of New Haven

11September

14, 2020

STUDENT LIFE

Page 11

Fall Greek life recruitment

BY BETH BEAUDRY STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

T

he Greek community has an immense presence on campus. Although Greek life will look different this fall, certain organizations have still decided to recruit.

The National Panhellenic Conference held a Zoom info-session on Sept. 2 to explain how Fall 2020 recruitment for sororities will work. The four Panhellenic sororities on campus are Alpha Sigma Alpha (ASA), Delta Phi Epsilon, Phi Sigma Sigma, and Chi Kappa Rho (XKP). All four will be

recruiting, but each organization is adapting recruitment differently.

ASA and Delta Phi Epsilon will be posting application links in their Instagram bios. XKP and Phi Sigma Sigma will have the Center for Student Engagement, Leadership, and Orientation (CSELO) send out an email with a Zoom link to their recruitment on the day of the events. Students can also search recruitment dates for each organization through Charger Connection.

Fall recruitment excludes first semester freshmen and transfer students. For those interested, there is no fee to sign up for recruitment, and the National Panhellenic Conference suggests that interested students speak with each sorority. If

students have questions they should email the organization they are interested in, or visit their Instagram.

Vice president of Membership of National Panhellenic Conference, Jaclyn Torrillo, said, “I totally understand being nervous about joining a sorority, especially now when times are so confusing. My advice is to just go for it! I think being virtual and having everything done via Zoom will help because you get to stay in a space where you feel comfortable while at the same time putting yourself out there and meeting new people from behind a screen.”

There are four Interfraternity council fraternities on campus: Kappa Gamma Rho (KGR), Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE), and Alpha Phi Delta

(APD). All four fraternities will be recruiting. While most recruitment will be virtual or hybrid, Sigma Chi will still be recruiting in-person.

Senior Sigma Chi member PJ Tucker said, “Sigma Chi will be recruiting this fall, and as of now, it will be in-person with all university and state social distancing guidelines in place.”

There are also several multicultural Greek organizations active on campus. Multicultural fraternities include Lambda Alpha Upsilon, Phi Beta Sigma, Sigma Lambda Beta, and the sororities are Omega Phi Beta, Sigma Iota Alpha, Chi Upsilon Sigma, and Lambda Pi Upsilon.

The multicultural Greek council recruitment is different from Interfraternity or Panhellenic recruitment. The multicultur-

al Greek council was present at the Greek open house on Sept. 3. Students interested in any multicultural sororities or fraternities should check to see which of the organizations have meetings listed on Charger Connection and attend if interested in joining.

The Independent Greek Council has three organizations: Co-ed fraternities Alpha Phi Omega and Kappa Kappa Psi, and Alpha Sigma Kappa, which is a sorority for women in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics field (STEM).

Alphi Phi Omega chose not to recruit this semester, and fall recruitment for Alpha Sigma Kappa and Kappa Kappa Psi has passed.

The new studio and COVID-19: How production courses plan to adjust

BY CAMERON HAILEY STAFF WRITER

W

ith a new green screen wall and a bigger space, the new communications studio in the Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation is ready to use. With its unveiling, the full learning experience of production courses is possible, even during COVID-19.

Wayne Edwards, Charger Bulletin News adviser and communication professor at the university, said, “We are holding classes in the studio, rather than classrooms, because it is about five times the size of the old studio. We are able to keep social distance and are all wearing masks.”

With the increased size of the studio, students will work with the equipment in ways

not seen before. The new green screen wall allows students to transition from a studio-based backdrop to a green screen seamlessly, and it will enable students to have more creative freedoms than they would have in the old studio.

The equipment that was used The Bergami Center Studio Photo courtesy of Hunter Lang

in the old studio in Maxcy Hall is now being used in the Bergami studio; the room in Maxcy the studio used to occupy has now been transformed into a classroom.. The cameras, set, and equipment were all moved during the summer and will offer upper-level students a familiar experience with more

space for dynamic camerawork.

“The new studio presents us with the opportunity to make even better content than ever before with all the new space and equipment at our disposal,” said Thomas Chung, president of the Communications Club, “As such, the Comm Club has exciting plans for both television and

film content to be shot in the new studio and we can't wait to see what this next chapter holds for our organization.”

Edwards is excited for new and “different types” of productions, all while abiding by the COVID-19 regulations.

Even with the current regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Edwards feels confident that hands-on learning is not only possible, but will be of great quality. Of course, students will be required to wipe down all equipment before and after use.

“I think we are prepared for it, rather than last year, where it came out of the blue” said Edwards on preparing classes working through COVID-19.

Edwards has also prepared if classes are to be moved to online again, working with third-party sources to allow students to continue work even from home, allowing the curriculum to continue.

September 14, 2020

Page 12

OPINIONS

The new COVID-19 policies: As effective as we allow them to be

BY ISABELLE HAJEK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

O

n Aug. 14, the University of New Haven gave students their first taste of “Campus Life Reimagined” in an email from the COVID-19 task force. The email included an addendum to the student handbook of COVID-19 student directives.

Students had been awaiting the rollout of these guidelines as other universities in the area and around the country had already provided their students with policies and expectations.

Among the new directives are changes to the guest policy and COVID-19 testing expectations.

The university - similar to neighboring schools Yale University and Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) - derived a testing plan for students before moving to campus and while school is in session.

Where SCSU required students from CT designated ‘green’ states to show proof of a negative test within 14 days of their move-in date, UNH's guidelines specified that all students required a negative test within 5 days of moving to campus, demonstrating stricter guidelines than the State of Connecticut requires.

Conversely, the university’s asymptomatic testing policies are comparatively laxer than those at Yale University. Depending on the student’s status and the density of their residential area, Yale students are required to be tested one to two times per week. The Univer-

sity of New Haven, currently partnered with Yale Medical, is randomly selecting 5% of the campus population to be tested weekly and all students must report their symptoms, or lack thereof, daily.

The university’s testing guidelines seem to be moderate in comparison to other Connecticut universities, but this is not the case for guest policy restrictions. Sacred Heart University, Yale University, SCSU, and Quinnipiac University all allow guests - from their respective Graphic courtesy of Christopher Colquhoun

universities - in residential areas within the university in various capacities. This is unlike UNH, which now prohibits all guests from entering ‘family unit’ spaces.

Dining services also have been reimagined, many classes are partially or completely online, and traditional campus events such as Homecoming may be abridged or canceled altogether.

For students who knew university life pre-COVID-19, such policies disrupt what has been

known as ‘the college experience,’ and I have found myself wondering if my peers would be willing to follow the guidelines, or if they would deem our return to campus worth the lifestyle change.

As classes start around the country, the most popular conversation starter is the question: “So how long do you think we will last?” Asked by most students, faculty, and staff; the question still stands.

Some universities have received their answer. An Insid-

er article from Aug. said the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Michigan State University are two among other schools that have switched all classes to an online format.

Iowa State University, University of Kentucky, and Colorado College all have more than 100 students in COVID-19 related quarantine but have not changed class format or residential status.

Students at New Haven received a partial answer from dean of students, Ophelie Rowe-Allen. In her introductory email to the University on Aug. 28 she said, “We will not be immune to having positive cases on campus; however, you can take steps to avoid a large outbreak.”

Rowe-Allen explained what everyone who returned to campus knew, ultimately the decision is up to us. If we follow the guidelines set out for use by the State of Connecticut and University alike, then we will be able to finish the semester. The policies can only be effective if students adhere to them.

According to the university’s COVID-19 dashboard, as of Aug. 30, one residential student and two off-campus/commuter students have tested positive.

When I compare how our students are responding to policy and our current test results to the growing list of universities, nationwide, who are being sent home mere weeks into their start of term, I am optimistic that we can last.

September 14, 2020

Page 13

OPINIONS

Humor during COVID: What’s so funny about a pandemic?

BY TIARA STARKS ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

C

OVID-19 has upended people’s lives, especially Gen Z’s. We’re supposedly the generation that lives on the Internet, which means we should know a thing or two about how to navigate the web through means of social, political, and cultural discourse. News regarding social media users and the uptick of internet privacy and safety precautions is nothing new, but it seems to take a back seat when people start to discuss what’s happening in their own lives.

People have taken to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, among many others, to relieve themselves of the stressfulness of the “new normal” which includes layoffs, school or college living adjustments, Tweet courtesy of @HannahGraceLong

and the general mental strain that this pandemic has caused.

There are people who might call the virus a hoax, but what is not a joke is the amount of self-proclaimed Corona-comedians who are using their platforms to bring levity to the global situation.

Scrolling through social media, I see posts from strangers, as well as friends, who are using this time of uncertainty as a time for self-reflection, but that heavily depends on who the person is.

Junior communication major Shaylen Stancil said that Twitter user, @itskenyon tweeted, “Pls tell me I’m not the only one that be talking to themselves behind their mask in public” Stancil said that this was one of her favorites, “I didn’t realize that this is something that a lot of people did.”

Andrea Alverca, a junior majoring in communication said of a tweet from @HannahGraceLong, “Post-Corona, the last thing we would write at the

beginning of an email would be someone’s health. Now that Corona has hit, health is the first thing everyone talks about.

Everyone wants to make sure people are okay and staying safe when, before, we really wouldn’t care about someone’s well-being every second.”

Personally, I found this tweet funny from Twitter user, @sauxegawd_, “Keep posting y’all fresh cuts.. im putting together a slide show for the Governor”.

I think it’s amazing how many people are risking their health to go out during the pandemic just to get pampered.

Though, while it’s all fun and games in the moment, what could this mean for the future of humor in our generation? Are we destined to live in a society that values cynicism over genuine discourse? The pandemic is a real problem that’s affecting millions of people’s lives, whether they catch the virus or have a close family member, friend, or colleague that might.

As someone who appreciates

Tweet courtesy of @itskeyon

the power of comedy and how it can be used as a temporary coping mechanism in cases of trauma, such as the time Tweet courtesy of @sauxegawd_

we’re living in, it also makes me wonder how it will affect social discourse online in a postCOVID world.